The purpose of this blog is two fold: 1) to accurately describe how one may receive the free gift of eternal life--Jesus Himself said in John 6:47 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life." NKJV and 2) to explore the Word of God in such a way that it will be supplementally edifying to what you're learning from your local church as well as contribute to the spiritual growth of believers in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

The dispensation of the most
dramatic exhibition of divine love.
The Hypostatic Union.

PLEASE READ FIRST

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Prepare yourself for learning the Word of God!

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is; you have believed [trusted] in Him for His promised gift of eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to learn God's Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge (confess) your sins privately to God (i.e.; with your thoughts directed only to God the Father).

1 John 1:9 says: "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (known sins) and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [unknown or forgotten sins]." NKJV (New King James Version) [italics added]

If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is to have faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life:

John 6:47 says: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." NKJV [italics added]

Notice again what Jesus said in John 6:47: "…he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." It doesn't say, "will have"; it says, "has." Therefore, the very moment you believe in Jesus Christ for His promise of everlasting life, you have it (it's really just that simple; nothing more and nothing less), and it can never be taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift (Ephesians 2:8c) of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.

John 3:14-18 says: "14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." NKJV

Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God's Word. If there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:

Study to show yourself approved to God!

Grace Bible ChurchRobert R. McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings

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BEGIN BIBLE STUDYUnless otherwise noted, all scripture quotes and references
are from the NASB – New American Standard Bible

We have begun a study on the dispensation of the most dramatic exhibition of divine love: the dispensation of the Hypostatic-union. This is the period of time when God became a member of the human race and lived upon on this earth. This falls under the Christocentric dispensations, where the Lord Jesus Christ is the center or the member of the Trinity who is to be glorified. There are two Christocentric dispensations: the first is the dispensation of the Hypostatic-union which refers to the period of time when Jesus Christ, who is God, lived on this earth around 4-5, B.C. to His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, around 30 A.D. The second is the Church-age, which began around 30 A.D. and will end at the Rapture of the Church. The dispensation of the Hypostatic-union was the period of time when God revealed the ultimate manifestation of His love, character and nature to all of His creation. It was a period of time in human history when, for the first time, a member of the human race fulfilled the Law. "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill" (MAT 5:17). It was the first time a member of the human race functioned under the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the plan of God (HEB 9:14). It was also a period of time when a member of the human race became the prototype to all believers on how to live the spiritual life (EPH 5:1-2).

The dispensation of the Hypostatic-union is the center point of all the dispensations, and therefore all of human history. This was the period time in human history when God chose to reveal the ultimate manifestation of His love for us, the Cross. The Lord Jesus Christ would fulfill the Old, the Mosaic Law, and introduce the new, the spiritual life for the Church-age. That is why He is called the "chief cornerstone."

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner {stone}, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. (EPH 2:19-22)

In the dispensation of the Hypostatic-union, Jesus Christ became the foundation for two spiritual buildings: Israel and the Church. While both have the same person as their foundation, they are entirely different buildings. The Church is under construction today waiting to be completed; while Israel will not be constructed, and completed until the Millennium. At the beginning of the dispensation of the Hypostatic-union, and the greatest demonstration of divine power in man, beginning with the virgin birth, Jesus Christ became the foundation for the future spiritual building called Israel. At the termination of the dispensation of the Hypostatic union (which was resurrection, ascension, and session of Jesus Christ), Jesus Christ was seated at the right hand of the Father, at which point He received His third royal title, King of kings and Lord of lords, making Him the foundation for the building now under construction, the Church.

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles - if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of God's grace which was given to me for you; that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. (EPH 3:1-3)

The apostle Paul becomes our living example of the grace of God given to mankind the power, and the ability to love, worship, serve and honor God even though we possess an old sin nature (OSN). The dispensation of the Hypostatic-union, and the dispensation of the Church-age are at the hub of human history. The term "Hypostatic-union" is a theological term for the incarnate person of Christ, the union of deity and humanity, or God and man. At the virgin birth, God the Son took upon Himself true humanity, and became a new person, the God-Man, the unique person of the universe (JOH 1:1-14; ROM 1:2-4; PHI 2:5-11; 1TI 3:16).

Paul, a bond servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ [the Messiah, God] according to the flesh [He was revealed in the flesh, the human body], who is over all [He is over all, complete sovereignty], God [the Lord Jesus Christ is called God in this passage] blessed forever. Amen. (ROM 9:1-5)

The Hypostatic-union is the fact that in the person of Jesus Christ there are two natures, undiminished deity and true humanity in one person forever. There is no mixture of the two natures, He is not half-God and half-man. Therefore He is called the God-man. For example, sometimes our Lord would say things from His deity only: The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets {also}; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word, he shall never taste of death.' Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out {to be}?" Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God'; and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I shall be a liar like you, but I do know Him, and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw {it} and was glad." The Jews therefore said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am [or before Abraham came into being, I existed eternally, because I am the great I am]" (JOH 8:52-58).

Sometimes the Lord Jesus Christ would speak from His humanity, and not His Deity: After this, Jesus [notice He's called Jesus, emphasis on His humanity], knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I am thirsty" (JOH 19:28). Deity does not get thirsty, only humanity does.

"You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I” (JOH 14:28). Here is speaking from His humanity!

"For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. [That's from His deity] "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son," in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him (JOH 5:21-23). He's now speaking as God, from His deity.

Sometimes He made statements from both natures, or from His hypostatic-union. "What then if you should behold the Son of Man [humanity] ascending where He [deity] was before? (JOH 6:62).

It's vital that you understand the dispensation of the Hypostatic-union, because there are cults out there that will point to scriptures where the Father is said to be greater than the Son, and they deny the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (JOH 14:6).

"Let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead by this {name} this man [the sick man that Peter healed] stands here before you in good health. He [Jesus Christ] is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders [a reference to verse 5, the Jewish rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem], {but} which became the very corner {stone.} [a reference to our subject, dispensationalism]. "There is salvation in NO ONE ELSE; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved. Our Lord is the only way, the truth, and the life and; no one comes to the Father, but through HIM" (ACT 4:10-12).

Why the dispensation of the Hypostatic-union, when Christ, who is God, had to become a man?

1. Jesus Christ had to become perfect humanity to be our Savior, to be our high priest, to be the mediator between God and man, and to fulfill the promise of the Davidic covenant which said that David would have a son who would rule forever.

2. Jesus Christ had to become true humanity to be the Savior of the world because as God, Jesus Christ could not have anything to do with sin except judge and reject sin. Only humanity could bear our sins.

3. Undiminished deity took upon Himself true humanity in order to be the Savior, Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same [the same nature - flesh and blood], that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives (HEB 2:14-15). This was the fulfillment of the promise of the Abrahamic covenant.

4. Jesus Christ had to become true and perfect humanity in order to receive the imputation and judgment of our sins on the Cross (1PE 2:24).

5. Jesus Christ had to become true humanity to be the mediator between God and man (JOB 9:2; JOB 9:32 33; 11TI 2:5). He had to be equal with both God and mankind to be a mediator between both parties. Therefore, Jesus Christ had to be both undiminished deity and true humanity in one person forever.

6. Jesus Christ had to become true humanity to be a priest. A priest must be a man in order to represent man before God. Jesus Christ became true humanity to be our high priest after the order, or pattern, of Melchizedek (HEB 7:4 5, 7:14; 7:28; HEB 10:5; 10:10 14). What does that mean? In Psa 110, Christ is the One being addressed; the Father is speaking to the Son. (A Psalm of David.) The Lord says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet. The Lord will stretch forth Thy strong scepter from Zion, {saying}, "Rule in the midst of Thine enemies." Thy people will volunteer freely in the day of Thy power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Thy youth are to Thee {as} the dew. The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, "Thou art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek" (PSA 110:1-3). Melchizedek was a true historical person rather than a theophany as some teach. Melchizedek was a king, he was a priest under the family priesthood system, therefore, a perfect illustration and a perfect pattern of the unique priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ - for the Lord Jesus Christ is a king as well as a priest.

7. Jesus Christ had to also become true humanity to be a king and rule forever. He had to be the son of David to fulfill the Davidic covenant to Israel (2SA 7:8 16; PSA 89:20 37).

The dispensation of the Hypostatic-union was therefore the most unique expression of the fantastic power of God ever known to man. It began with the virgin birth. Long before 70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed, Israel stopped functioning as a client nation to God. Around 4 B.C., we have the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus Christ which was the beginning of the first Christocentric dispensation, the Hypostatic-union, or what we call the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. During the time of the dispensation of the Hypostatic Union, Judea was under Rome and was not a client nation. The only reason Judea was still there was so that the Jews in their homeland could have the freedom to make a decision regarding the Lord jesus Christ as their Messiah. This is why they were preserved, and they were given one more chance. Starting with the dispensation of the Church-age, in 30 A.D., God them another 40 years before Jerusalem was destroyed. During that time God used the gift of tongues to evangelize the Jews. For, as the apostle Paul said, For indeed Jews ask for signs. (1CO 1:22). Therefore, in 1CO 14:22 So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers; So, if the Jews wanted another sign, here it is, the gift of tongues.

When the day of Pentecost had come, there were Jews living in Jerusalem, from every nation around the world. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because they were each one hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and marveled, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? "And how is it that we each hear {them} in our own language to which we were born? "Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs we hear them in our {own} tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God" (ACT 2:6-10). This was a sign fulfilling a Jewish prophecy, the sign of tongues was given to the Jews from 30 A.D., to 70 A.D., just as Isaiah had prophesied in ISA 28:11-13).

In the dispensation of the Hypostatic union we have the fulfillment of the first prophecy given to mankind “And I will put enmity Between you [Satan] and the woman, And between your seed [the devil is the father of the unbelievers, JOH 8:44] and her seed [the Lord Jesus Christ]; He shall bruise you on the head [take away the poison and power of the serpent], And you shall bruise him on the heel [a reference to the unfair and unjust treatment of our Lord prior to the Cross]" (GEN 3:15).

The dispensation of the Hypostatic-union began with the virgin birth (the incarnation) which refers to the only impeccable birth in human history, the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The virgin birth means that no male was involved in the procreation of our Lord. The scriptures are crystal clear on this (ISA 7:14; LUK 1:35).

The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world without the imputation of Adam's original sin, and therefore without an OSN. The virgin birth was necessary if the Lord Jesus Christ was to be offered on the Cross as a perfect sacrifice to God the Father for us. The necessity of the virgin birth is based on the fact that the OSN is passed down to each member of the human race through the male species. This is because the woman was deceived in the Garden, the man was not (1TI 2:14). Mary had an OSN just like everyone else, in fact, she admitted that she was a sinner, and in need of a Savior (LUK 1:46-47). Mary also offered a sacrifice for sin according to the prescriptions of Leviticus chapter 12, as recorded in LUK 2:21-24. That she was a virgin at the conception of Christ is evidenced by the Biblical record of LUK 1:34. The virgin birth therefore becomes very important for all of us to understand as it relates to the dispensation of the Hypostatic-union. The virgin birth was the only way to become a member of the human race apart from spiritual death and the imputation of Adam's original sin to the genetically formed OSN. No virgin birth means no salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ had to enter the human race without an OSN, and live a perfect life to qualify as our Savior on the Cross. Not only did He have to be born minus spiritual death, but He also had get to the Cross minus spiritual death. That means for 33 years He had to live a life free from personal sin (HEB 4:15).

The first Adam was tempted and he fell, the last Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, did not. In His deity, He was not able to sin, but in His humanity, he was able not to sin. No one was ever tempted like the Lord Jesus Christ. He had years of intense pressure because Satan tried to head off from the Cross, when the Lord arrived at the Cross He was impeccable. When He was hanging on the Cross He was hanging there as the only member of the human race who was totally innocent and sinless. The virgin birth, therefore, allowed the Lord Jesus Christ to accomplish two victories in the Angelic conflict. The first victory - the First Advent which consummated with the cross, the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and session of the Lord Jesus Christ. The second victory will be at the Second Advent, where the Lord Jesus Christ takes over the ruler-ship of the world and "makes His enemies His footstool."

So, beginning with the virgin birth, our Lord offered up Himself to satisfy the justice and righteousness of God. The human body of our Lord Jesus Christ was offered to God the Father by the humanity of Jesus Christ. He was impeccable even during those 3 hours on the Cross. All of the time prior to the Cross and on the Cross, He remained perfect, impeccable and without sin. In fact, in MAT 27:12 while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He made no answer. He remained perfect, impeccable and without sin. The soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole {Roman} cohort around Him. And they stripped Him, and put a scarlet robe on Him (MAT 27:27-28). He remained perfect, impeccable and without sin. And after weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they kneeled down before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spat on Him, and took the reed and {began} to beat Him on the head. [He still remained perfect, impeccable and without sin]. And after they had mocked Him, they took His robe off and put His garments on Him, and led Him away to crucify {Him} (MAT 27:29-31). But He still remained perfect, impeccable and without sin.

And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, they gave Him wine to drink mingled with gall; and after tasting {it,} He was unwilling to drink. And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots; [He still remained perfect, impeccable and without sin]. and sitting down, they {began} to keep watch over Him there. And they put up above His head the charge against Him which read, "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS." [But, He still remained perfect, impeccable and without sin]. At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, "You who {are going to} destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross." In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking {Him,} and saying, "He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we shall believe in Him. "He trusts in God; let Him deliver {Him} now, if He takes pleasure in Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'" And the robbers also who had been crucified with Him were casting the same insult at Him. (MAT 27:34-44). He still remained perfect, impeccable and without sin. All of the time, prior to the cross and upon the cross, He remained perfect, righteous and without sin. He never became sin, which is a blasphemous doctrine. He did however become a "sin offering." He was being judged the righteous one for the unrighteous ones,

While God the Father used both His justice and omnipotence, to judge the Lord Jesus Christ, it was the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit that sustained the humanity and impeccability of Christ. Therefore, for those 3 hours when He was being judged for our sins He was the sinless sin offering. The dispensation of the Hypostatic union was therefore the most unique expression of the fantastic power of God ever known to man.
Every problem and adversity our Lord faced, He faced by operating in the power of the Holy Spirit revealing the tremendous assets we would have as members of the Church-age, His future church.

There were six trials for the Lord Jesus Christ, and with the exception of one short interrogation, these all six trials were unfair and unjust in every way. On trial was the unique Person of the universe undiminished deity and true humanity combined in one Person forever, the Lord Jesus Christ! And, how did face these problems and pass these different tests, as He glorified God the Father in the midst of the appeal trial of Satan and in the fallen angels, in the historical phase of the angelic conflict called human history?

Every problem and adversity He faced, He faced by operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. We all need to learn how to handle the injustices of life and the unfairness that we will all inevitably all face. That is by learning from our Lord how to operate in the power of the Holy Spirit by giving the matter over into the Lord's hands. "Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle masters, but also to those who are perverse and unreasonable ones; for this is grace, if for the sake of conscience toward God, anyone bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly." (1PE 2:18-19).

Some people in authority are perverse, but you are just as responsible to submit to their authority. You serve them and do your best job as unto the Lord. And such a believer has a PVTD and desires to fulfill their calling. The weak believer complains and rejects authority, and so becomes a loser. It is very important to have a soul filled with doctrine so that you can handle unjust treatment in the same manner that you handle fair treatment. We must be very careful that we do not allow our conscience to become filled with garbage when we encounter the injustices of life and the unfairness that we observe. If you have a strong conscience, you will leave it in the Lord's hands and those who treated you unfairly will be put to shame without you ever trying to defend yourself or answer back.

The following link is to a good news message describing how one can receive eternal life:Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

This week’s sermon title:
You cannot say no to the plan of God
without saying yes to the plan of Satan.

Today’s Sermon Message:
You cannot say no to the plan of God
without saying yes to the plan of Satan.
Video & Audio

Please join us as we fellowship in the Word of God, listen to
Christian Music, Pray in Christ’s Name and Praise the Lord
in our Hearts and Minds.

ALL ARE WELCOME!!

# # # # # # # #

from - Romans 8:38-39

Thank you for joining us for today’s worship service. Please enjoy the music before you watch and|or listen to today’s message.

TIP to enlarge the print hold down the “Ctrl” key on your key board, while it is being held down, move your mouse forward until the desired print size is just right for you. To return to normal screen size, reverse the process (some will see a % in the lower right corner of your screen, normal is 100%)

The lyrics have been provided so you can sing along with the artist in your mind and soul; imagine that the artist’s voice is your voice. I’m not a very good singer myself so I often get the lyrics for some of my favorites and sing along in my mind and soul, this way it’s as if I’m doing the singing to the Lord; try it.

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is— you have trusted in Him for eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to take-in God’s Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge your sins privately to God the Father.

1 John 1:9 says—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” NKJV (New King James Version)

If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is faith alone in Jesus Christ alone:

John 6:47 says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life.” NKJV

Notice again what John 6:47 says, “he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life.” It doesn’t say, “will have”; it says, “has.” Therefore, the very moment you believe Jesus Christ’s promise of everlasting life, you have it (it’s really just that simple), and it can never be lost or taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.

John 3:14-18 says: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” NKJV

Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God’s Word, if there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:

Lectionary

The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart. (Heb. 4:12) GNB-UK

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed. (2 Tim. 3:16-17) GNB-UK

Do your best to win full approval in God's sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God's truth. (2 Tim. 2:15) GNB-UK

Study to show yourself approved to God!

Opening Prayer
(Do your best to make it your own – below is a sample prayer)

Heavenly Father, we pray that we will all be richly edified by Your Word today and that You will make what we study today clear to us. We pray that all participants in this service as well as those who review it at a later date will be edified and blessed by today’s message. We pray this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

(If you need to leave the service, when you come back, to move the MP3 player forward, press and hold the left click down on the player progress bar where you see the little arrow under the time on progress bar and move your mouse forward)

READ BEFORE OPENING ABOVE SERMON LINK: There have been some changes in audio/video recordings as to how long they keep video sermons active at Grace Bible Church (also the audio/slideshow was discontinued). We needed to switch to a different sermon series for the Sunday services beginning 9-6-2013 as the Audio/Slideshows have been discontinued so we are changing to an MP3 format for now until the end of this sermon series (evidently, the church keeps the videos active for only two months; when this current series is over, I’ll try to post the sermons within that two month period. In the past, to be able to show each series uninterrupted, the church services have been about 3-4 months behind which is why there is no video for this week).

Right click the link above, a small window will open then left click either “Open in New Window” or “Open in New Tab” and the church service notes page will open, it has three options in the upper right side of the page, right click the link titled “download mp3” and just like before, select either Open New Window or Open New Tab to open the MP3 player, this will leave the notes page open so you can move back to it, so go back to the notes page to follow along in the notes, the streaming audio should begin automatically in your default audio/video player (e.g., Windows Media Player).

If you wish to use it, right click the link and in the drop-down box, left click the "Open Link in New Window"; when the new window opens, reduce the window size of both the on-line bible and the slideshow and configure them to be side-by-side. Also, the window opens to John 3:16, click the word “more” below the verse, you will then see two online bible columns, Use the column on the left as it is set for the NASB95, at the top of the column where you see John 3:16 in the search box, type the book and verse the Pastor asks you to go to a particular Bible verse, e.g., 1tim 5:21, or eph 3:10, etc., then click “Enter” on your key board. You can use the “right column” if you wish for a different bible version but you’ll need to type in the verse you want each time as I directed you for the column on the left side.

CLOSING PRAYER:
(Again, below is a sample prayer, do your best to make it your own)

Heavenly Father, we pray that the Holy Spirit will make what I’ve learned today clear to me, for I pray this in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s name. Amen

If you have any questions that are pertinent about today’s message, please don’t hesitate to ask, you are welcome to ask them via a private message or by a reply in today’s post. However, sometimes questions can be real short but require a much longer answer in order to give an adequate answer. If I don’t think that the question is able to be answered quickly I’ll reply back telling you that I’ll research it and get to you with the answer (it may even be a few days as I’m a little slower than I used to be). Please don’t let what I’ve just said make you hesitate to ask questions.

I want to thank all of you who have attended this Sunday service as well as those who will view it at a later time or date.

The following link is to a good news message describing how one can instantly receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

The dispensation of Israel. Part 2.
God has not rejected His people nor His promises,
the Five Divine Covenants.

PLEASE READ FIRST

Scripture References, Word & Phrase descriptions: If available on the website you're viewing this on, a few links (i.e., those without an already written scripture quote or brief explanation) are hover pop-up active, meaning the scripture reference will just pop-up if you hover your cursor over it (don’t click on the link, just hover your cursor over it), they work best using the Firefox browser – pop-ups in Internet Explorer, Chrome & other browsers only appear for a few seconds at best. If you don’t have Firefox (or hover pop-ups aren’t available on the website you’re viewing this on), that’s OK, move your cursor off and on the link until it is read; or left click the link which will open the verse at the online bible; or you can always use your Bible to look up the verses.

Prepare yourself for learning the Word of God!

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is; you have believed [trusted] in Him for His promised gift of eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to learn God's Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge (confess) your sins privately to God (i.e.; with your thoughts directed only to God the Father).

1 John 1:9 says: "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (known sins) and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [unknown or forgotten sins]." NKJV (New King James Version) [italics added]

If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is to have faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life:

John 6:47 says: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." NKJV [italics added]

Notice again what Jesus said in John 6:47: "…he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." It doesn't say, "will have"; it says, "has." Therefore, the very moment you believe in Jesus Christ for His promise of everlasting life, you have it (it's really just that simple; nothing more and nothing less), and it can never be taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift (Ephesians 2:8c) of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.

John 3:14-18 says: "14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." NKJV

Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God's Word. If there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:

Study to show yourself approved to God!

Grace Bible ChurchRobert R. McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings

OPTION: If you would prefer to go directly to the Grace Bible Church website to read this study message, all verse reference links are active there (but not hover active) and Enlarged Text is also an available option – right click the above link then left click “Open Link in New Window” or “New Tab”

BEGIN BIBLE STUDYUnless otherwise noted, all scripture quotes and references
are from the NASB – New American Standard Bible

The nation of Israel would be defined by five divine covenants. The first two covenants, sworn during the age of the patriarchs, prepared the way for founding the nation. God made the remaining three after the Jewish race had become the Jewish nation.

1. The Abrahamic Covenant (GEN 12:1-3; GEN 13:6; GEN 22:15-18; GEN 26:4; GEN 28:14; GEN 35:11; EXO 6:2-8). The Abrahamic covenant included: The promise of a national land. The promise of both national and universal redemption. The promise that a great nation should come from him. That Abraham's name shall be great. That he should be a blessing so great that in him shall all families of the earth be blessed. To him personally, and to his seed (not the church, but the Jews) should be given Palestine forever to inherit (GEN 13:14-17). The multitude of his seed should be as the dust of the earth. Whosever blessed him should be blessed and whosever cursed him should be cursed. He should be the father of many nations. Kings shall proceed from him.

The covenant shall be perpetual and everlasting. The land of Canaan shall be "an everlasting possession."

3. The Mosaic Law (Gen-Deu). The Mosaic law would be divided into three parts:

a. Codex I: The Freedom Code (the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments), for believers and unbelievers. This is the freedom code. These commandments form the basis for the heritage of Israel's freedom. The Ten Commandments define human freedom in terms of morality, privacy, property, life, and authority in general.

b. Codex II: The Spiritual Code (including a complete shadow presentation of Christ and His saving work [Christology and Soteriology], for believers only. The ordinances are the spiritual heritage of Israel. They are the theological code designed to present Jesus Christ as the only Savior.

c. Codex III: The Establishment Code (civil statutes for Israel). This includes the entire political and functional heritage of the nation Israel. Every principle related to the function of a client nation to God includes an elaboration of freedom and authority, privacy, rights, property, privileges, marriage and divorce, military policy, taxation ((tithing), diet, health, sanitation, quarantine, criminal law, trial, punishment, laws of evidence, and capital punishment (EXO 21:1 - 23:9).

Tithing was the system of taxation and was levied on both believers and unbelievers. There was a separate system of offerings for believers only. The offerings of believers were not assigned any percentage. The book of Malachi describes income tax evasion. "Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed Thee?' "In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation {of you}! Bring the whole tithe [Income tax] into the storehouse, [the treasury] so that there may be food in My house [blessing for the client nation], and test Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows" (MAL 3:8-10).

Tithing is not spiritual giving in the Old Testament. Tithing was a 10% income tax under the laws of establishment described in the Mosaic Law for the citizens of Israel only. Believers and unbelievers alike were to be charged the same amount of tax. As a tax it was not spiritual giving. There was also a 10% tithe for all Jewish citizens, both believers and unbelievers, for the maintenance of the Levites for their presentation of doctrine (NUM 18:21; NUM 18:24). This is not pertinent today. There was also a 10% tithe for all Jewish citizens, both believers and unbelievers, to support the cost of the Lord's sacrifices (DEU 14:22-24). This is also not pertinent today. Every third year Israel required the payment of a charity tithe of 10% for those who legitimately needed help (DEU 14:28-29). This was a 10% income tax paid by all the people, this was charity not socialism. Spiritual giving in the Old Testament is presented under the word "offerings in MAL 3;8 and given by believers only. The offerings of believers were not assigned any percentage (PRO 3:9-10; PRO 11:25-26).

4. The Davidic Covenant (2SA 7:8-17; PSA 89:20-37). The provisions of the Davidic covenant include the following:

a. David is to have a child, yet to be born, who shall succeed him and establish his kingdom.

b. This son (Solomon) shall build the temple instead of David.

c. The throne of his kingdom shall be established forever.

d. The throne will not be taken away from him (Solomon) even though his sins justify chastisement.

e. David's house, throne, and kingdom shall be established forever through David's son and David's Lord and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Behold, days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them," declares the Lord. "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the Lord, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the Lord, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." Thus says the Lord, "Who gives the sun for light by day And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The Lord of hosts is His name: If this fixed order departs from before Me," declares the Lord, "Then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever." Thus says the Lord, "If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done," declares the Lord. (JER 31:31-37).

Has the sun, the moon, the stars, the sea, departed from the universe or from the Lord? Of course not, then the offspring of Israel has not ceased from being a nation before God FOREVER. Can the heavens above be measured, or the depths and of the earth searched out below? Then God has not cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done!

Even the apostle says, I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? (ROM 11:1-2)

For finding fault with them, He says, "Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, When I will effect a new covenant With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers On the day when I took them by the hand To lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in My covenant, And I did not care for them, says the Lord. "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, And they shall be My people. And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more." When He said, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. (HEB 8:8-13)

When the covenants are studied we find seven great features that need to be understood concerning the Jews and the nation of Israel.

- A Nation forever.

- A Land forever.

- A King forever.
- A Throne forever.

- A Kingdom forever.

- A New Covenant.

- Abiding blessings.

There are also provisions for Israel in the New Covenant that will be fulfilled in the Millennium. The provisions of this covenant are as follows:

a. It is an unconditional grace covenant resting on the "I wills" of God. Note that five times, the number for grace, the Phrase "I will" is used in JER 31:31-34.

b. The New Covenant is also an everlasting covenant or is eternal. This is closely related to the fact that it is unconditional and made in grace (ISA 61:8; EZE 37:26; JER 31:34-37).

c. The New Covenant also promises the impartation of a renewed mind and heart, which may be called regeneration (JER 31:33; ISA 59:21).

“And as for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring,” says the Lord, “from now and forever.” (ISA 59:21)

d. The New Covenant provides for restoration to the favor and blessing of God (HOS 2:19-20; ISA 61:9).

e. Forgiveness of sin is also included in the New Covenant with Israel (JER 31:32).

f. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is also included in the New Covenant - (not permanent indwelling, like the Church-age believer, but the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit to teach the Jewish believers (JER 31:33-34; EZE 34:25-27).

g. There will be materialistic blessings for Israel in the land according to the provisions of the New Covenant (JER 32:41; ISA 61:8; EZE 34:25-27).

j. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of all the blessings of the New Covenant.

The following points are to be observed:

- Israel is to be re-gathered.

- Israel is to be one nation ruled by one king.

- Israel is no longer to be idolatrous but to be cleansed and forgiven.

- Israel is to dwell forever in the land after the re-gathering.

- The covenant of peace is to be "everlasting."

- God's tabernacle is to be with them, i.e. He will be present with them in a visible way.

- Israel is to be known among the Gentiles as a nation blessed of God.

This covenant then has to do with the regeneration, forgiveness and justification of Israel. Also there will be the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with His subsequent ministries, and Israel's re-gathering and restoration to the place of blessing. This covenant is a literal and unconditional covenant, it is called "eternal" (ISA 24:5; ISA 61:8; JER 31:36; JER 31:40; JER 32:40; JER 50:5).

The following link is to a good news message describing how one can receive eternal life:Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.

God's Gift of Eteranal Life Blog

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About Me

Founder of Ticket2Heaven Bible Ministries - The purpose of this group is to accurately describe how one may
receive God's absolutely free gift of eternal life and to explore the
Word of God in such a way that it will be edifying as well as contribute
to the spiritual growth of believers in our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
The following link is to a good news message describing how one can
receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.